Rehearse Your Divorce, Save Your Marriage?

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I found a really terrific article today about one couple who saved their marriage by (of all things) rehearsing their divorce.

The couple had been bickering and disagreeing for years, and finally decided they'd had enough of each other. However, when they sat down together to rehearse how they were going to tell their kids about the divorce, they ended up actually talking to each other for a change. It was a real turning point for their marriage, and changed things for the better.

Personally, I think rehearsing your divorce is a fantastic idea, if you can really get both parties on board for it. Unfortunately, marriage-ending decisions aren't always thought through to all possible consequences in advance – if they truly were, maybe the divorce rate would be a far cry from what it is.

I will say, that out of all the difficult conversations that Peter and I had during this process, having to tell our daughter was far and away, the hardest thing I had to do. It's been almost exactly a year since that day, and I still struggle with the memory. How do you explain the collosal failure as her parent, her source of safety and security – it was just overwhelming to me (and to her). I remember telling Peter afterward, "We just destroyed her belief in forever. Doesn't that mean anything to you?? He had no answer for me then, and I suspect he still has none.

What If you'd had to role-play telling the kids, your family and friends, dividing up cherished possessions, dealing with girlfriends and boyfriends and all the muck in between? Do you think it would have made a difference if you'd had to "rehearse" your divorce before going through with it?